314 SCEXOPlMD.li. — MYDAID.I. 



Life-histori/. Soniethinp: of tliis lias been known since tlie time 

 of Dufour, Lie, Bouchc, rrauenfeld, and otliers having described it, 

 and tiie species has been bred on numerous occasions. The larva 

 was at first tliought to live on carpets, stable-rugs, horse-hair 

 mattresses, and such-like articles, but it was subsequently found in 

 Polypori, and on willows and other trees. A Scenophuis pupa has 

 been found in a cocoon of Saturnia j^yri, in which were the remains 

 of the Saturnia pupa, and the species is said to have been bred from 

 decaying wood. The larva is certainly carnivorous, probably 

 living on the larvae and impse of moths and other insects, possibly 

 of fleas also, found in houses, but evidently breeds in the open 

 air also in a similar manner. The larva is elongate cylindrical, 

 rather tough, of about twenty segments, with small brown head, 

 moving in a seipent-like manner ; the pupa being slender, with 

 rows of spines and bristles. 



Mr. Verrall notes a curious point about this species, that a 

 large number of females are found with the wing-tip broken off, 

 and suggests that it may be done in pairing. In four European 

 fenestralis in the Indian Museum this is the case in two specimens., 

 a third having one wing damaged near, though not actually at, 

 the tip, the fourth being perfect ; also in wme: lndi?i\\ fenestralis 

 in the same collection only one wing is thus broken, whilst in 

 five European 'jlabn/rons all the wings are perfect. 



Family MYDAID.E. 



The Mydaid.t; are flies of from moderate to gigantic size, easily 

 recognised by their peculiar venation, their projecting club-shaped 

 antennse, and their bare surface, being wholly devoid of bristles 

 except for a few on the legs. The prevailing colour is black, with, 

 in many species, bands on the abdomen of red or yellow. 



Head about as broad as thorax, transverse ; neck short and 

 narrow ; frons and vertex sunk, making the eyes appear especially 

 prominent ; ocelli indistinct, or, when on a promnience, at some 

 distance from the vertex. Proboscis varying from very long and 

 thin, with small labella, to rather thick and short, with labella of 

 considerable size ; palpi, when present, one-jointed, long or thin, 

 but generally absent. Eyes bare, wide apart in both sexes, and 

 never with enlarged facets. Antennae porrect, approximate or 

 touching at base ; the two basal joints normal, 2ncl shorter than 

 1st, with a few bristles or stilf hairs ; 3rd joint generally elongate, 

 clubbed or knobbed at tip, with traces of annulations. 



Thorax subquadrate, with sparse (rarely tliicker) pubescence on 

 dorsum, coarse pubescence at sides of dorsum ; humeri prominent, 

 pleura; often with a moderate amount of pubescence ; scutellum 

 small though broad, unspined ; metanotum very large. 



Abdomen elongate, 7-segmented, with light pubescence only ; 

 genitaha in d of moderate size, with small foliaceous lamellae 



